After a month of new liquor restrictions issued by the government of British Columbia, Kelowna watering holes are calling out for help.

On Sept. 8, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered a ban on alcohol sales in restaurants, bars and pubs after 10 p.m., as well as requiring them to close by 11 p.m. if the kitchen doesn害羞草研究所檛 remain open. In addition, Henry ordered nightclubs and stand-alone banquet halls to shut down completely.

With local bars and restaurants trying to get back on their feet after having to close their doors for several months due to COVID-19, the new restrictions have knocked many establishments back down, losing out on prime hours after 10 p.m.

Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Social 242 Lounge and Grill on downtown Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Lawrence Avenue is one of those establishments. With a business model that teeters to those looking for a club-like vibe, Social opens its doors at 5 p.m. and is usually open until late, raking in the bulk of its sales after 10 p.m.

害羞草研究所淭he crummy thing for us is we don害羞草研究所檛 open for lunch and generally it starts getting busy around seven-ish, so there害羞草研究所檚 really only three hours of work for us since we can害羞草研究所檛 serve booze past 10,害羞草研究所� said Social 242 owner Daniel Mulgrew.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e noticing our 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. customers are showing up, but our normal 9 p.m. customers just aren害羞草研究所檛 because there害羞草研究所檚 really no point to come for just one hour.害羞草研究所�

And as the clock strikes 10 p.m., bar and pub owners are beginning to notice a nightly parade to the nearest liquor store, as they害羞草研究所檙e currently allowed to stay open until 11 p.m.

害羞草研究所淭he business essentially gets driven underground. There害羞草研究所檚 no contact tracing at house parties and there are no precautions,害羞草研究所� said Dave Willoughby, owner of Doc Willoughby害羞草研究所檚 on Bernard Avenue. 害羞草研究所淭hat seems to be a real disconnect between Dr. Bonnie Henry and the provincial government, and the hospitality industry. They don害羞草研究所檛 understand how it works.害羞草研究所�

Willoughby害羞草研究所檚 frustrations recently made waves in Victoria after he added a message to the bar害羞草研究所檚 receipts calling on his patrons to 害羞草研究所榁ote that f*cker out害羞草研究所� in reference to B.C. Premier John Horgan and the provincial government害羞草研究所檚 handling of the hospitality industry throughout the pandemic.

害羞草研究所淚t certainly got a strong response,害羞草研究所� he said, adding Doc Willoughby害羞草研究所檚 was forced to register as a third-party advertiser with Elections BC, but the message has since been removed from the receipts.

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Now open just 25 hours a week, Mulgrew said the restrictions are taking a toll on his staff, stating Social has very seldom had turnover, until now.

害羞草研究所淚 feel really bad for my staff. They害羞草研究所檙e in a really hard position. Almost all of them are looking for second jobs now. There hasn害羞草研究所檛 been any action from the province in regards to helping out the hospitality industry.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e already had one staff member leave because they had to find more hours.害羞草研究所�

While Doc害羞草研究所檚 may have more hours to go around for its staff, being open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, servers are leaving their shifts with lighter-than-usual pockets.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 one thing to have your shift cut in half, but it害羞草研究所檚 another thing altogether to work as a server and not have any customers and not have any tips,害羞草研究所� said Willoughby. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 quite a bit worse for them.害羞草研究所�

Mulgrew is an owner who takes pride in his staff and as a token of appreciation, he decided to close shop for a week and take his staff on a trip to Tofino.

害羞草研究所淲ith the curfew right now we害羞草研究所檙e only open 25 hours a week, so it kind of seemed like a good time to jet out of town and explore somewhere else. They害羞草研究所檙e my family I want to make sure they害羞草研究所檙e looked after as best as possible.害羞草研究所�

When asked about remodelling to be open longer, Mulgrew said his establishment害羞草研究所檚 location doesn害羞草研究所檛 have enough foot traffic to warrant being open at lunchtime and Willougby said food sales don害羞草研究所檛 net them enough money to make pushing their hours to 2 a.m. worthwhile.

害羞草研究所淲e could stay open until 2 a.m. selling hotdogs 害羞草研究所� but it doesn害羞草研究所檛 make any sense,害羞草研究所� Willoughby said. 害羞草研究所淗ow many hotdogs do you have to sell to keep the lights on?害羞草研究所�

With few new COVID-19 cases within Interior Health, both Mulgrew and Willoughby said they would like to see action from the province, noting their businesses shouldn害羞草研究所檛 have to suffer because of high case-counts in the Lower Mainland.

害羞草研究所淚 think it makes a lot more sense to regionalize (the restrictions),害羞草研究所� said Mulgrew.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 understand why the province has to blanket it so much, especially when we have so little cases here. It is heavy-handed and poorly thought out.害羞草研究所�

While both establishments will remain open for now, Willoughby said Kelowna is at a 害羞草研究所渢ipping point,害羞草研究所� at risk of losing some of its most iconic drinkeries.

害羞草研究所淭here are closures already happening (across the province),害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e at a point where we害羞草研究所檙e employing our staff, not because we can afford to, but because we want to give them a job. We害羞草研究所檙e absorbing the losses right now. And you can only do that for so long.

害羞草研究所淚f things taper off any further, we could be forced to close, and it would be an indefinite closure until things improve.害羞草研究所�

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